Tower Could Give Birth to Fourth Mower County Wind Farm

By Tim Ruzek, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.

Mar. 9–A meteorological tower will gauge wind speed between Dexter and Grand Meadow in what could lead to the fourth wind-energy development in Mower County.

The Mower County Board on Tuesday approved a conditional-use permit for enXco, a California-based wind energy company, to build a nearly 162-foot tower in Grand Meadow Township, just east of Interstate 90 and north of the freeway’s Dexter exits.

Steve Edwards, an enXco official, told the board his company now has two towers gathering wind data in Mower County. One of the towers, though, needs to be moved, he said, because it’s on property that will be part of the upcoming Horizon Wind Energy project.

The enXco project could lead to a 100-megawatt development with about 63 wind turbines, according to Daryl Franklin, the county’s planning and zoning director.

Currently, there are two wind farms with a total of about 60 wind turbines operating in the county, he said.

Since Gov. Tim Pawlenty last month signed legislation setting a renewable energy requirement of 25 percent by 2025, the enXco project has been getting a lot of attention, Edwards said.

The tower will gather data for two to three years, he said. Utility companies like to have a lot of data before moving forward, he said.

Board member Ray Tucker, who lives near the tower’s site, had concerns about Mayo Clinic’s helicopter flying in that area with an unlit tower.

It would be a substantial cost for the company to bring electricity to the new site, Edwards said, and the Federal Aviation Administration doesn’t require lighting for a tower that tall.

The approved permit requires enXco to notify the FAA, Mayo and area airports of the tower’s location.

This spring, Horizon Wind is planning to start construction on its Prairie Star Wind Farm project, which includes farmland in Clayton, Bennington, Marshall and Grand Meadow townships.

The 100-megawatt project will involve 61 wind turbines and take six to eight months to construct, according to Horizon Wind.

—–

Copyright (c) 2007, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.